Winners 2010

The University of South Carolina's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Committee recently presented its Social Justice Awards
to three members of the university community who exemplify the philosophies of Dr. King through random or ongoing acts
of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.

The faculty award, recognizing outstanding accomplishments in teaching, research or creative work, service and outreach,
went to Dr. Saundra Glover, associate dean for health disparities and social justice in the Arnold School of Public Health.
Glover, cited for her consistent commitment to educational outreach and research aimed at eliminating disparities, recently
collaborated with investigators from the Medical University of South Carolina and South Carolina State University to establish
a $7.2 million Center of Economic Excellence (CoEE) in Prostate Cancer.

Attorney Pamela Robinson, director of the School of Law's Pro Bono Program, was presented the staff award. She was nominated for her long-term commitment to helping people who cannot afford legal representation, including her volunteer efforts with Richland County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), the South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program and the Children's Justice Act Task Force. She is also faculty advisor to the Women in Law program.

Anna Walton, a senior biology and Spanish major, received the student Social Justice Award. She is president of
Amigos Buen Samaritano, a student organization that assists the West Columbia Good Samaritan clinic in coordinating
volunteers and providing assistance with computers and raising funds. She was nominated for her commitment to improving
the quality and access to public health within the Hispanic community.

The University of South Carolina's Martin Luther King Jr. Committee presented it 2011 Social Justice Awards Friday, Jan. 14, to four members of the university community who exemplify the philosophies of Dr. King through their acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.

The awards are presented to faculty, staff and students.

The faculty award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in teaching, research or creative work, service and outreach.

Dr. Patricia Wilson-Witherspoon, medical director of the department of family medicine, was one of two recipients of the 2011 Social Justice Award for faculty. She trains residents in advocating for their patients.

"I like to take care of the individual patient because everyone can't advocate for himself," she said. "I am humbled that the work that I do is deemed worthy of this recognition."

Also receiving the 2011 faculty award was Dr. Sacoby M. Wilson, environmental researcher in the Institute for Families in Society. Wilson studies how communities are impacted by environmental hazards.

"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the grandfather of environmental justice, and my work is a continuation of his work," he said. "I try to bring science into poor communities and show them how to get involved and improve their quality of life."

Andrea Williams, associate director for the Institute for Partnerships to Eliminate Health Disparities (IPEHD) received the 2011 staff award. Williams helps develop the career paths of students pursuing degrees in the health profession.

"It's an honor to be recognized as someone who followed the example of Dr. King by helping pave the way for others to succeed," she said. "It's a blessing to be able to help others succeed, and that's what Dr. King was all about."

The 2011 student award was given to Arnold School of Public Health Ph.D. candidate India D. Rose for her work and commitment to winning equal rights for the gay community. "A right delayed is a right denied, and the rights of the LGBT community have been denied long enough," she said.

Rose is a program facilitator in Atlanta for lesbian and bisexual youth.

Winners 2012

The University of South Carolina's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Committee recently presented its Social Justice Awards to three university community members who exemplify Dr. King's philosophies through acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation.

The faculty award, recognizing outstanding accomplishments in teaching, research or creative work, service and outreach, went to Dr. Gloria Boutte for exemplary teaching, research and community service to advance understanding of underrepresented groups.

Boutte is the Yvonne and Schuyler Moore Child Advocacy Distinguished Chair of Early Childhood Education in USC's College of Education's (COE) Department of Instruction and Teacher Education. Thomas L. Stepp, former secretary of the Board of Trustees, was presented the staff award. Stepp, the second-longest-serving board secretary in university history, was nominated for his 25 years of service to the university. He received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, in 2003.

Alex Rutherford, a junior history major with an emphasis on African-American history and the Civil Rights Movement, received the student Social Justice Award. Rutherford, an exchange student from Warwick, England, was presented the award for his desire to promote education and a greater understanding among all races. He is a Christ Church volunteer who regularly engages students in discussions about the impact of Dr. King's teachings and philosophies.